IOA Announces Speakers for 2026 September Symposium

The International Ombuds Association has released the agenda for its 2026 September Symposium, "Reframing Power and Influence: Exploring Intentional Ombuds Sway and the Tension Around Influence."  The event for intermediate and advanced Ombuds practitioners will take place on September 30 and October 1, 2026, at the Red Cross Headquarters in Washington, DC. 

IOA Announces 2024 Honorees

At its annual conference last month, the International Ombuds Association announced its 2024 Trailblazer and President’s Award recipients. “There are so many talented ombuds serving their communities in so many vital ways,” said Alicia Booker, 2023 IOA President. “We are thrilled to honor them for all that they contribute to our profession, and for their extraordinary leadership,” added Sarah Klaper 2024 IOA President.

IOA Posts Agenda for 2024 Annual Conference in Indianapolis

The International Ombuds Association has opened registration for its 19th annual conference. Traditionally, the event takes place in April. This year, the event is set for March 18-20, 2024 at the Marriott Indy Place in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. 

IOA has also published details for the conference:

IOA Board Selects 2023 Officers

The Board of Directors for the International Ombuds Association has announced the election of its officers for the 2023 term. All are long-time volunteers and professional Ombuds. The IOA Board meets at least monthly, with more meetings for the executive leadership. 

IOA Seeks Nominations for 2023 Board

The International Ombuds Association is accepting nominations for its Board of Directors. Five member-elected directors will serve a three-year term starting in April 2023. The five directors with terms expiring in 2023 are: Lee Twyman (current Treasurer); Hector Escalante; Sarah Klaper; Marcia Gee Riley CO-OP; and Diana Mosonyi. (IOA's Board President, Ronnie Thomson, will complete her elected board term in 2023, but will stay on another year as Immediate Past President.)

IOA Elects 2022 Board Officers

At its annual business meeting last week, the International Ombuds Association Board of Directors elected officers for 2022-2023. Two of the officers are new to the board, three of the officers ending their terms are off the board, and two officer positions are vacant. As a result, only two of six officers have prior Board leadership experience.

IOA Board Yields to Members' Concerns with Updated Bylaws Proposal

In response to members' concerns, the International Ombudsman Association's Board of Directors announced a new process to amend the IOA Bylaws & Articles of Incorporation. At a special meeting in June, an omnibus package of updates to the bylaws failed to come to a vote in the face of procedural objections from the floor. At follow-up townhalls, members also took issue with the Board's omnibus proposal for changes to multiple bylaws. Since then, the IOA has held multiple meetings to understand the concerns and fashion a response. An email from the entire IOA Board late last week outlined a process to provide more discussion of the changes in advance of another special meeting and then  allow separate votes on individual proposals.

(Guest Post) IOA Executive Committee Comments on the Proposed Bylaws

The following commentary was submitted by the International Ombudsman Association's Board of Directors Executive Committee. The groups is comprised of Melanie Jagneaux, CO-OP, Board President and Ombudsman Director at Baylor College of Medicine; Steve Prevaux, CO-OP, Board Vice President and Ombuds Officer for the University of South Florida System; Ronnie Thomson, Board Secretary and Corporate Ombudsman for Sandia National Laboratories; Lee Twyman, Board Treasurer and former Ombuds for the Rochester Institute of Technology; and Willem Kweens, CO-OP, Board Assistant Treasurer and European Ombudsman for Mars, Inc. [Emphasis in original, links to members-only content omitted.]

IOA Posts Details of 2021 Virtual Conference

The International Ombudsman Association has announced the agenda for its 16th annual conference. "Bridging the Distance: Paving the Way for Equity and Justice" (#IOA2021). The conference will offer a fully virtual program over three days, March 22-24, 2021. Registration is now open and a discount is available until the early bird deadline on February 22, 2021.

IOA Names Board Officers for 2020

The International Ombudsman Association Board of Directors has announced its officers for 2020-21. All but one, were officers last year. Steve Prevaux, Ombuds Officer for the University of South Florida System, is new to the executive group. Also notable is the fact that three of five officers are Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioners.

IOA to Hold 2020 Annual Business Meeting Online

Although the International Ombudsman Association has cancelled its conference, it will convene its annual members-only business meeting virtually on April 1, 2020. In addition to the association's business, the meeting will host a open "community dialog" for participants to talk about the future of the profession.

Here is the full announcement: 

IOA Voting for 2020 Board to be Strictly Pro Forma

The International Ombudsman Association has opened balloting for its Board of Directors election. This year, six candidates are up for six open seats, so the outcome is predetermined. In an announcement to its membership, IOA explained that, "this result is simply a function of typical nominee attrition from the total number of nominations received for members of its Board of Directors." Terms for the new directors will begin in April 2020.

IOA Announces Agenda for 2020 Conference in Portland

The International Ombudsman Association has released some of the agenda for its 14th annual conference set for Portland, Oregon, March 30 to April 1, 2020. Keynotes and plenary topics have not been announced yet, but break out sessions are now set. More details will be posted when available. Meanwhile, pre-conference trainings are starting to fill up.

IOA Board Fills One of Two Vacated Director Positions, Names New Secretary

In an email to members, the International Ombudsman Association Board announced that two Directors have stepped off due to personal and professional commitments. Ruthy Kohorn Rosenberg and Elaine Shaw have served on the Board since April 2018 and departed in July 2019. Both served as IOA Secretary. 

IOA Announces Agenda for 2019 Annual Conference

The International Ombudsman Association convenes its 13th annual conference at the Sheraton Hotel New Orleans on April 1-3, 2019. The three-day event will be familiar to anyone who has attended in recent years: the days start with keynote events from Ombuds and others professionals, plenary and concurrent sessions, and opportunities to hear from association leaders. The full agenda with presenter bios is now available and registration is open.

IOA Announces New Board Members for 2018

The International Ombudsman Association has announced the results of the annual election for its 2018 Board of Directors. Beginning April 24, following the Annual Business Meeting, seven new directors will join the IOA Board. The following individuals were elected to three-year terms:

Ombuds Head to Virginia for 2018 IOA Conference

The International Ombudsman Association will hold its 13th annual conference April 23-25, 2018 at the Richmond Marriott in Virginia. The event follows a now familiar format of keynote events from Ombuds and others professionals, plenary and concurrent sessions, and opportunities to hear from association leaders. An agenda for the conference is now available and registration is open.

IOA Opens 2018 Board Elections with Large Slate of Candidates

The International Ombudsman Association has opened voting for its 2018 Board of Directors. Nine candidates are on the ballot, which will fill six open seats on the board. This is the greatest number of candidates since 2009. 

As it has in the past, the Ombuds Blog provides links to prior posts about the candidates to supplement the official ballot statements, but does not endorse any candidates in particular:

IOA Announces Agenda for Minneapolis Conference

The International Ombudsman Association has posted details of its 13th annual conference set for Minneapolis, April 21-23.  While the full agenda is not yet complete, most of the speakers and topics have been announced.  For the first time, conference organizers are trying to give attendees more information by indicating the level of experience and sector (industry) for each session.

IOA Posts Agenda, Opens Registration for 2016 Annual Conference

The International Ombudsman Association's eleventh annual meeting will take place April 10-13 at the Westin Seattle.  Here's an overview of this year's agenda: